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Auria
Auria is one of the three major landmasses on the planet Ūnun. For millennia, Auria was plagued by a dark age marked by war and isolation following the collapse of the Eladrin Empire. In the last century, Auria was unified by Elven general and subsequent defector Elouan Gaillard, who formed the Aurian Hegemony: a political body spanning the entire continent that has remained more or less stable ever since. History Eladrin Empire (c. 6000 BU - c. 3000 BU) There is evidence that the Eladrin Empire expanded into Auria at some point during its reign, but when exactly is uncertain. Most remants of the empire's existence on the continent can be found around Syl. This is likely because the of the region's Immortal Grove, a large forest with strong connections to the Feywild, giving reason for the Eladrin to focus their influence on the continent from there. The eventual fall of the empire led to what is called the Aurian Dark Ages. Aurian Dark Ages (c. 3000 BU - 21 BU) Auria suffered perhaps the most long-lasting consequences of the end of the Eladrin Empire. While Eltaris had access to most of the remaining knowledge of the empire, and Kavoy had always been a fractured continent, Auria's reliance on its former rulers left it in a disastrous state. As with the other continents, the people of Auria fled to the recesses of their lands, but Aurians became so distant and separated from one another that animosity and paranoia spread amongst each of the races. Their fear of the unknown and that which was different led to years of warfare. During this time, each race developed their own territories, and most fighting took place in the old Warlands. Each of these territories would eventually become the provinces that make up the Aurian Hegemony. Unification War (21 BU - 0 AU) After witnessing centuries of warfare and the atrocities it wrought, decorated Elven commander Elouan Gaillard became disillusioned with the endless conflict that defined the continent. He defected from the Elven armies, taking his loyal soldiers with him, and forming an independent army with the goal of eventually uniting Auria under one banner. After two decades, Elouan slowly gained followers and victories, with the war culminating in the Dumaath Blitz, in which Elouan conquered the seemingly unconquerable Dwarven city of the Caldera, wresting control of Dumaath, the last region Elouan needed to take control of all of Auria, from General Olvid Stonehammer. Aurian Hegemony (0 AU - present) After Elouan took control of the entire continent, he fulfilled his goal and created a government to represent all of Auria. Becoming its first king, Elouan is revered by most as the "Savior of Auria", and the Hegemony has remained the seat of Aurian power to the current day. It is not without its dissenters however, as groups like Invictus continue to be a sign of defiance against Elouan's vision of unity. Culture Due to the once isolated nature of the factions that live on Auria, each of the continent's provinces have distinct cultural styles relating to the prominent race of each respective region. In more recent years and most notably in Hegemonia, there is a somewhat unifying style, but the differences are easily noticeable from city to city. In many ways, the separate cultures of Auria can be seen as the archetypal form of each races' cultures and styles, since they had remained unaffected by one another's influences for thousands of years. Population Auria has a sizeable population of each of the dominant races, and is seen as the homeland of both Halflings and Dwarves, giving it the highest population of both. Dragonborn have a small, concetrated influence on the continent in the province of Zhimura. Provinces Dumaath Homeland of all Dwarvenkind, it is said that the Dwarves were gifted the mountainous region by Moradin himself, who considered it the most challenging terrain for him to create. The capital of Dumaath is the Caldera. Haven The chief territories of Humankind in Auria, Haven is a region dichotomized between the poorest of the poor and the wealthiest of the wealthy. Additionally, it holds Goodhome, the land of the Halflings. The capital of Haven is Proudheart. Hegemonia Once the devastated Warlands just a century ago, the region now called Hegemonia has been converted by the Hegemony into its seat of power, and a symbol of unity on the continent. The capital of Hegemonia, and all of Auria, is Prefect. Syl In many ways Syl is the epitome of the homes of Elvenkind: covered in magical forest, somewhat isolated from the rest of the continent, and beautiful and enigmatic in equal parts. The capital of Syl is Andor. Zhimura A long piece of land stretching across part of Auria’s eastern coast, Zhimura acts as the continent’s hub for Dragonborn culture. It is also a popular trade center thanks to its position. The capital of Zhimura is New Asgorath. Geography Bulwark A large chain of mountains that runs along the inner side of the northeastern Aurian coast and throughout most of Dumaath. The Bulwark helps block off most of the region, acting as a natural wall to keep out invaders. The Bulwark also hosts Ūnun’s largest mountain, Bleakspire. Fenlands A humid swampy region in northern Syl, home to various marsh life that is found in few other places in the world. The presence of civilization is scarce there, and it is generally considered dangerous to venture in too deep. Freemoor The large plains that were once home to destruction and devastation during the Aurian Dark Ages, have since grown into great green and golden fields in the center of the continent. Immortal Grove A vast forest with ties to the feywild in western Auria. It is here that the Elves and Gnomes reside, making their homes in and amongst the trees. It is difficult to travel through, making it mostly undisturbed by the outside civilization. Lapis Sea The small body of water upon which Prefect rests, the Lapis Sea is a major trade port, and is perhaps most well known for the Triton kingdom of Nephys that lives underneath the waves. Meloran Berth Auria’s major southern body of water, the Berth acts as a harbor for cities such as Proudheart and Port Hanali. The calm waters make it a popular trade route alternative for those unwilling to push through the Immortal Grove.